Four involved withdraw bids for judicial review

Little India.

SINGAPORE - Four men involved in last December's Little India riot have dropped formal attempts to get the court to lift certain curbs imposed on them, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said yesterday.

The AGC said in a statement: "Two separate judicial review proceedings against the Government, brought by individuals charged in connection with the Little India Riot, have been withdrawn by the individuals concerned."

A judicial review may be requested of the High Court to evaluate the decisions of the authorities, but the party seeking the review must get permission from the court before it can be conducted.

Three of the men - Arun Kaliamurthy, Rajendran Mohan and Ravi Arun Vengatesh - had sought to quash a requirement imposed on them pending their criminal trials: to report daily to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, said their lawyer, Mr M. Ravi.

Their judicial review case was originally slated to be heard by a High Court judge on May 12, said an AGC spokesman.

But on May 7, Mr Ravi applied on behalf of his clients to cancel the proceedings.

The High Court granted his application, with costs of $3,000 to be paid by the three applicants.

Mr Ravi told The Straits Times yesterday that his clients had "gotten used to the conditions" and had decided to drop their applications as the trial dates were drawing near.

On May 14, Mr Ravi applied to withdraw another judicial review application on behalf of Rajendran Ranjan, who had wanted to quash the stern warning administered by the police and the order of removal made by the Controller of Immigration. He also wanted to have his work permit reinstated.

Mr Ravi said: "A few months have passed and he (Rajendran) has since continued with his life in India."

The High Court granted the application to withdraw filed by Mr Anil Balchandani on behalf of Mr Ravi. Costs amounting to $1,000 are to be paid by Rajendran's uncle, Mr Arumugam Sivanathan. He had authorised the proceedings on Rajendran's behalf.

Rajendran, who previously worked as a construction worker here, was given a stern warning by the police for his involvement in the Little India riot.

The Controller of Immigration assessed the situation and decided his presence here was undesirable.

His visit pass was cancelled as a result and he was removed from Singapore on Dec 20 last year.

joycel@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 31, 2014. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.